Aircraft communication systems are increasingly relied upon for operational effectiveness and passenger connectivity. For example, the air-to-ground communications system known as ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) is relied on for communicating numerous messages about relevant flight data including aircraft movement events and positional reporting, flight plans, take-off and landing confirmation, clearances, weather information, runway conditions, equipment health and maintenance, status of connecting flights, gate information, and the like. These messages may need to be communicated to numerous entities including air traffic control stations, national aviation authorities and operational control centers for different aircraft. Passengers also desire communication connectivity for accessing personal data and/or voice communication applications while airborne.
Conventional aircraft communication systems rely on radio and/or satellite equipment to accommodate the above communication functionality and more. Line of sight radio-based communication is often provided on either High Frequency (HF) radio waves (e.g., 3-30 MHz band) or Very High Frequency (VHF) radio waves (e.g., the 118-137 MHz section of the wider VHF range.) For communication using broadband functionality, satellite-based communication systems also may be utilized. However, airborne satellite communications can be costly and require special satellite transceiver equipment. A need remains for airborne broadband communication technology that can leverage available cellular systems to provide enhanced communication functionality without sacrificing cost or performance.